


Star Wars: Knights of Rey

by Fictionstv



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28242987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fictionstv/pseuds/Fictionstv
Summary: A reimagining of the Sequel Trilogy where Rey is aware of her parentage and is an accomplished leader of the First Order. Over the years, she seduces Ben Solo to her side as her apprentice. However, upon the arrival of Snoke, Ben is forced to choose between the light and the dark.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Prelude

A modified X-wing fighter approached the desert planet of Elphrona in 21ABY. Unlike an ordinary X-wing fighter, the cockpit could fit several people. Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, his good friend, Lor, and his nephew, Ben Solo, journeyed to this world to uncover old Jedi secrets and artifacts. "You're sure about this, Lor?" Luke questioned as they exited hyperspace.

"As sure as I can be, Master Jedi. My contact told me a great deal about the location," Lor assured him. "I think after all my wanderings, I can recognize the description of Jedi outpost when I hear it."

"I'm not questioning your expertise, my old friend. I just never thought the Jedi had an official presence so far from the core," Luke said apprehensively.

_"Are you well, my friend?"_ a female voice said in Ben's head. It was youthful, mocking, and playful as if they had known each other for some time. _"I sense fear in you,"_ she teased.

_"I'm fine. Just off on another Jedi expedition with Master Skywalker,"_ Ben said in his head. _"The planet is Elphrona. All this way to find some junk Master Luke will probably lock away in his temple and never use,"_ he said bitterly.

_"The Jedi have always been good at collecting things. They believe themselves to be the guardians of the Force,"_ the female voice said.

_"He could have at least let me pilot the ship and given me something to do. Don't get me wrong, he's an amazing teacher, very strong. I've learned so much from him, but he never seems to want me to use any of it,"_ Ben complained.

_"Your master thinks of you as a child. Someday, he will realize your true potential,"_ the female voice said.

"We're just about there, Ben. If this place is everything Lor says it is, we could find new insight into the Jedi," Luke said breaking Ben's concentration. "Maybe, even some interesting weapons. I know you're into that."

"Entirely possible we could find Kyber crystals," Lor brought up.

"I'm glad you came along, Ben," Luke said sincerely.

"Yes, Master Skywalker. So am I," Ben nodded.

Luke landed the ship a short distance from the entrance to a large cave. In front of them were two large Jedi statues guarding a three-story tall gate structure carved out of the rock itself. "Impressive," Luke said of the structure.

"I agree. Well preserved and the entrance looks intact. This could be a great find," Lor said as he studied it.

"Let's go in there and see what we can find. Be ready for anything," Luke said taking the lead.

"I understand, master. I'll be careful," Ben said amazed by what he was seeing in front of him.

The three went inside and found a dark treasure trove of artifacts. Luke ignited his green lightsaber, so they could see around. "The Jedi of the time must have used this place as a storage site. This is truly fortunate," Lor remarked.

"Pretty amazing, isn't it, Ben?" Luke said to him as he looked around.

"It's wonderful, master. But I feel...cold," he sensed.

Several dark figured emerged from the darkness wearing black uniforms and helmet masks of unique designs. Their leader wore a Mandalorian mask and armor, a black cloak, and robes that went down to his feet. "Master Skywalker, we meet, at last," the leader said with a synthesized voice that gave nothing away.

"You seem to have us at a disadvantage. Who are you?" Luke asked of him.

"I call myself Ren and these are my knights," he introduced himself and his comrades. "I'm taking everything here. Do not try to stop us," he said to Luke.

"You're wrong, so very wrong," Luke told him off. "This is a Jedi outpost. Everything belongs to the Jedi Order, which, at the moment, belongs to me. I am the Last Jedi."

Ren unhooked his own lightsaber and showed it to him. "Do you recognize it? It was your father's saber."

Luke identified the lightsaber and stared intently at Ren. "How did you find it?"

"In a junk pile in Bespin," Ren said. "With this lightsaber, I see and feel the memories of those who owned it. I felt your anger, desperation, and fear."

"That was a long time ago," Luke told him.

"Let's see how much stronger you have become since then," Ren challenged.

"Lor, get back and stay out of the fight. Ben, protect him," Luke ordered as he got ready to fight.

"But master, there are seven of them," Ben pointed out.

"I'll be fine," Luke assured him.

Ren motioned for his knights to attack Luke. Their bladed weapons were resistant to lightsabers. The knights surrounded Luke and attacked him from all sides. Luke avoided their strikes, deflected, and used the Force to push them back. Ren watched passively as his knights were being tossed about. Once they had been thoroughly defeated, Ren activated his own lightsaber.

The two circled one another as they sized each other up. "You are able to block me from reaching your mind. Not bad," Luke complimented. "Who are you, really?"

Ren didn't answer and engaged him aggressively. Luke dodged his swings and got a hit on his shoulder sparking off his Mandalorian armor. "I don't have time to give you the proper instruction," Luke said condescendingly.

"I've had the proper instruction," Ren said annoyed.

The two clashed repeatedly to a stalemate and then backed away from each other. Ren then aggressively charged forward pushing Luke towards the artifacts. Luke struggled to keep him at bay as his back was pushed up against the artifacts. Ren slashed his shoulder only giving Luke a flesh wound. Ren then placed his lightsaber at Luke's throat. As if to give Luke a sporting chance, Ren withdrew.

As they reached the center again, Ren aggressively attacked Luke but ended in a stalemate. Luke slashed Ren's robes open at his leg nearly hitting the limb. At this point, Ren became furious in his attacks. Luke kept himself calm and collected as he got another hit on Ren's shoulder sparking the Mandalorian armor. Ren countered Luke with a string of attacks finally disarming him. Luke summoned his lightsaber back to his hand before Ren could slice him through. The two clashed with neither backing down.

Ben and Lor watched in amazement as the two seemed relatively equal. Ren backed away and deactivated his lightsaber. "You can have the inventory. I have what I came for," Ren said retreating away. "See you around, kid," he said to Ben.

* * *

Ren piloted his ship that resembled a modified Tie fighter. The fighter approached a large translucent sphere that contained a greenhouse of exotic plants inside. The sphere was protected by metal rings at its north and south pole and at its equator. Additionally, the orb was protected by several Star Destroyers patrolling at all times. Ren docked with the orb's landing bay and went inside. Alone from anyone else, Ren took off his mask and shed his cloak on the floor revealing a beautiful young woman. She took off her armor and dress revealing a more feminine black uniform underneath.

She enjoyed the exotic alien plant life for a moment and then closed her eyes as she focused on her target: Ben Solo. _"Did you enjoy the show?"_ she asked him in his mind.

_"Master Luke nearly killed you,"_ he said distressed.

_"Neither of us utilized our true potential,"_ Ren said to him.

_"There is so much for me to learn,"_ Ben realized. _"I wish to see you face-to-face."_

_"Patience. We will meet again,"_ she assured him.

* * *

On Tython, Ben continued his training with Master Luke and three other apprentices: Voe, Hennix, and Tai. Voe and Tai were both human while Hennix was a Quarren. With Ren's assistance, Ben far exceeded the other students. He easily levitated rocks in his hands and outdueled Voe. In her frustration, Voe turned to Luke for answers. "Why is Ben so much stronger than me?" she asked him.

"Ben isn't stronger. That isn't how it works. The Force can flow through anyone who can sense it. Think of yourself as a door. The wider it is, the more the Force can flow through you. Some people start out with a wider door but any door can be wide open," Luke told her.

Still, Voe became angry at her failure to measure up to Ben. As such, she became ashamed as Jedi should not succumb to anger. What she could not possibly know is that Ren and Ben dueled often in their dreams. In all cases, Ren easily defeated him but with each night, he became stronger and more proficient. In a cave, Ben and Ren dueled with the intent to swipe through each other with lethal strikes. Their blue sabers danced in the glowing cave filled with Kyber crystals. Finally, Ren slashed across Ben's chest ending the duel. Ben then faded to nothing as he awoke from the dream. In his hut, Ben awoke in a cold sweat as his mind registered that the duel was not real.

Ben's other classmate was Hennix who saw the Force as a puzzle to solve. He would practice trying to open the secrets of a Holocron with Luke guiding him. Meanwhile, Ren showed Ben a room filled with red Sith Holocrons. "Every Holocron is unique, based on the teachings held inside. You have to hear what it's trying to tell you before it will open for you," Ren taught.

Ben became overwhelmed with the non-stop chattering of the Sith voices. "There are so many. I can't decipher any of them."

"Focus on one," Ren said pointing one out.

Ben tried to block out the other voices as he focused his mind on one. Finally, the Holocron revealed its secrets to him. "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider unnatural," the voice said to him.

"Tell me more," Ben said curiously.

Ben's final classmate was Tai, the one he was closest to. "Why do you hide so much about yourself, Ben?" he asked as they walked together.

"What do you mean?" Ben asked defensively.

"Come on. You know the Force helps me sense things. You have a box inside you where you lock things away," he sensed. "I mean, everyone does but yours is locked tight."

"You know why. I'm Ben Solo," Ben excused.

"That's not exactly it. You need to be who you are. I don't need to know your secrets but you have to realize that people will accept you just as you are. I know you, Ben Solo," Tai said. "You're not as bad as you think."

"You think so?" Ben asked uncertainly.

"Don't be afraid of what others will think. Just be who you are. The rest will follow," Tai advised.

That night in the field, there were hundreds of dead bodies littered about. Many of them had lost heads and limbs. Ben was in the middle of it all with his blue lightsaber. Ren eyed the spectacle and nodded. "I felt the Dark Side of the Force when I killed them," Ben admitted.

"The Dark Side of the Force is a tool for you to use but do not let it consume you," Ren said to him. The bodies on the field then disappeared as the vision faded.

* * *

Ren and Ben walked through the greenhouse in their dreams. "Do you like this place?" she asked him.

"It's interesting," he said looking around.

"I'm very fond of it. The point was to create an oasis here in the darkness of space," she mused.

"I know you use the name Ren as a title. What is your real name?" Ben asked curiously.

"I've had so many names as I was shuffled from one place to the next to keep my identity a secret from friend and foe alike. Can you keep a secret, Ben?" she asked.

"Of course," Ben said sincerely.

"I'm the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine," she said to him.

Ben gave her a shocked look. "Then, you have his powers?"

"The Force grants powers to whoever seeks it. The Force is strong in my family as well as yours because we seek what cannot be seen or touched," Ren said. "We all have light and darkness within us," she said. She placed her hand on a plant causing it to blacken and die. With her other hand, she healed the plant restoring it back to what it once was.

"I wish to join your Knights of Ren," Ben said resolved.

"I'm not so sure the others will want Ben Solo," she smiled amusedly.

"I hate that name," Ben admitted.

"Why? You're named after a legend," Ren pointed out.

"Everyone expects me to be the next Obiwan Kenobi. I've never even met the man," Ben said bitterly. "And Solo? That's not even his real name."

"We create for ourselves our own names. If we wished, we could both be Skywalkers," she teased. "I was not born Ren. I became Ren. Who will you become?"

Ben said nothing to that. "It's fitting for a master to give her apprentice a name. Am I your master?" Ren asked.

"You are," Ben said seriously.

"Your name shall be Kylo. It means sky," Ren said to him.

"You must be joking," Ben said unimpressed.

"And what of my name? It means water lily," Ren smiled as she pointed one out in a pond.

"You talk like that of a child," Ben said scornfully.

"Children's thoughts are pure. They do not practice self-deception. They know who they are. And when you call yourself your true name, you will see the truth about yourself. Someday, the galaxy will hear your name and see you," Ren predicted.

* * *

In the Galactic Senate, Ren and Ben were present as projections. They were in the back of the chamber so no one would accidentally go through them and create a commotion. Leia Organa was present along with thousands of other senators across the galaxy. At the time, the Galactic Senate was divided by the Centralists and the Populists. The Centralists were secretly backed by the First Order and promoted a strong central government from the Core Worlds. The Populists, led by Leia, wanted greater freedom and decentralization.

"I nominate Leia Organa of New Alderaan as First Senator," Sen. Varish announced.

"I object," Sen. Ransolm said.

"On what grounds?" the chair asked him.

"Senator Organa has concealed her true parentage. She is the daughter of Darth Vader, himself," he accused.

The Senate was in an uproar. Leia's face fell as she realized her dark secret was revealed to all. Ben appeared stunned in disbelief. "Do you have any evidence to back up your claim?" the chair asked.

"I do," Sen. Ransolm said as he submitted a recording of Bail Organa for all senators to see. The recording presented a message to Leia telling her that Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala were her parents. It went on to say that Anakin Skywalker was Darth Vader. After the recording ended, Sen. Ransolm turned to Leia. "Do you deny it?"

"I do not," Leia said flatly.

"It is in the constitution that no one shall pay for the sins of their parents," Sen. Varish said in support of her.

The Centrists booed and the Populists quickly disowned Leia in mass. Ben stared at Ren as he realized the truth about his family. "You knew?"

"It was once a shock to me to know that my parents were nothing. Even greater, to know that I was the granddaughter of the Emperor. Now that you know, what will you do?" Ren asked.

"Our connection in the Force was not an accident. I see that now. We must finish what our grandparents started," Ben told her.

"Leave the Jedi and come with me," Ren offered her hand to him.

* * *

Ben collected his things and left on a ship without telling Luke. He journeyed to the moon of Endor and landed in the forest. Ren was there to meet him in her full uniform without her mask on. "It's close by," she told him.

The two walked through the forest until they found the spot. The wood had been rotted away and the ash scattered but beneath the ground were black pieces of metal. Ren pointed to the spot. Ben cautiously moved the dirt away until he found the mask of Darth Vader. Upon touching the ruined mask, he saw visions of Vader's last moments. He saw Vader take hold of the Emperor and throw him down the reactor shaft of the second Death Star. Vader then held onto the guardrails mortally wounded.

"They destroyed each other," Ben realized. "I had always thought Luke slew the Emperor and Vader."

"The galaxy wasn't ready to know Vader had sacrificed himself for his son," Ren said.

"I feel torn. What path should I choose? The Light or the Dark?" Ben asked confused.

"Choose love," Ren smiled.

"Love?" Ben wondered.

"The Jedi have no attachments and lack passion. They do not grieve upon the death of a loved one. They have no desire to have families of their own. But those who follow the ways of Sith experience unceasing fear, anger, hate, and...suffering," Ren said as she touched the mask.

"What is the answer?" Ben asked.

"We are, Ben. Our connection to each other is no accident. We are a dyad in the Force. We are the will of the Force," Ren answered.

* * *

On the Super Star Destroyer, _Ravager,_ Ren always wore her mask while Ben was in an ordinary First Order uniform. No one knew who Ben was or what he was capable of, so it was not necessary to conceal his face. Ren, on the other hand, was a closely guarded secret. Ren gave Ben a tour of the ship showing him all the decks including the bridge. In the docking bay, Ren showed Ben her Tie fighter.

"Isn't it a bit fragile for someone like you?" Ben asked concernedly.

"When you are in communion with the Force, you can see the dangers all around you and before they even happen. A layman only sees in the present. The Jedi and the Sith attack and defend based on what they perceive the future to be. To the laymen, our movements are incomprehensible. We allow ourselves to be wide open, we strike at an opponent's blade rather than their body, and we sometimes miss our opponent entirely. But we do this because we are not in the present but in the future," Ren said to him.

"I've never fought that way," Ben admitted.

"In time, you will," Ren smiled.

The two entered an Imperial shuttle. "Tell me about your father's ship," Ren asked of him.

"That piece of junk? It's a Correllian YT-1300 light freighter," Ben said dismissively.

"That piece of junk destroyed the second Death Star and had a hand in the destruction of the first," Ren reminded him. "Show me how it looked."

The two then appeared on the Millennium Falcon. "What is this?" Ben wondered.

"It is your memory," Ren explained.

"My father is a good man, but he was always busy with the New Republic. I feel resentment and emptiness being on this ship," Ben said shaking his head.

"That is why we're here," Ren said. "You are now the teacher. Tell me everything you know about it," Ren requested of him.

"For what purpose?" Ben wondered.

"To remind you of what you loved about this ship and the people who served on it," Ren said as images of Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, and others faded in-and-out of existence as ghosts.

"Alright," Ben nodded and began to show her all he knew.

* * *

Years later on Mustafar, Ren led her men through a burned forest. The sky was red and full of smoke from the volcanoes nearby. The knights slaughtered the local inhabitants guarding an important Sith artifact. With her blue lightsaber, Ren slashed and diced all those that got in her way. She expertly deflected laser fire and used the Force to pull her enemies towards her as she cut them down. After a long battle, bodies were littered all over the ground.

Ren turned her attention to an altar. She opened it revealing a small object inside. The triangular-shaped object glowed green giving her the location of a rumored Sith presence.

Once the First Order had secured the site, Ren brought Ben over to a hill overlooking a lava river fairly close to a volcano. A mining facility that used to exist nearby had been completely melted down and covered in rock. "Why do you still not have me go on your missions?" Ben asked annoyed.

"It's not that you're incapable. It's because I do not wish to poison your soul. There must be a balance between us," Ren said to him.

"From what I can tell, the Dark Side of the Force is stronger than the Light," Ben remarked.

Ren turned to face him. "There is only one Force. The Dark Side is a perversion of the same Force. It is that perversion that will inevitably lead one to destruction and grief. No one controls the Dark Side. Instead, the Dark Side takes control over you," Ren taught.

"Then, why do you use it so often?" Ben asked.

"For practicality. It gets the job done quicker, in the moment. I don't fear being twisted by the Dark Side because you are always with me," Ren smiled.

Ben seemed unconvinced so Ren went down a hill closer to the lava stream. "It was here that your grandfather lost his limbs and was burned alive. It was here that he suffered his greatest defeat. In his hatred and pain, he lashed out into the Force. In so doing so, he killed your grandmother," Ren told him.

"I feel the wound in the Force even now," Ben sensed.

"I gave you the mask of Darth Vader to show you the fate of those trapped in the Dark Side. I use the powers of the Dark Side while remaining in the Light," Ren told him.

"How?" Ben asked.

"By knowing why you are here and what you are fighting for," Ren replied.

* * *

Using the Sith Holocron, Ren ventured to the distant world of Exegol on her own in her personal Tie fighter. She braved through a red nebula field full of debris and approached a blue-colored stormy planet. As she landed, it was windy and rainy. The ground was flat and lifeless as the Dark Side of the Force poisoned all life that could grow there. The clouds were full of lightning. Ren approached a large monolith on foot and ignited her lightsaber.

She came upon a platform and used the Force to descend her way down to the basement level. All around her were statues of former Sith Lords. "At last...," a voice said to her as she landed. The inside of the monolith was also electrified by the Dark Side of the Force. "Sideous taught you well," the voice continued.

"He's dead and soon will you," Ren replied.

"Foolish girl, Sideous was my apprentice. I have been every voice you have ever heard inside your head," the voice said using the voices of Sideous, Maul, Tyrannus, and Vader. "The Galactic Empire was just the beginning. I will give you so much more," the voice enticed.

"You'll die first," Ren said to him and then sliced him through. He merely chuckled at her as his image fluctuated revealing he wasn't truly there.

"I've died before," he revealed. "Never again will I allow an ally or enemy to come close to me."

Ren withdrew her lightsaber and decided to hear him out. He was tall but thin. He appeared as a living corpse with a slashed throat, a gash in his left cheek, and a hideous scar on his forehead. "Identify yourself."

"I have so many names. They once called me Darth Plagueis the Wise. Now, I am Snoke," he smiled at her.

"What could you give me?" Ren asked doubtfully.

"Everything," he replied.

Ren then saw a vision of a planet but at its equator a giant super-laser cannon. The ice world of Illum had been converted into a Star-Killer base. It could either passively exhaust the energy of a star leaving a system cold and lifeless or destroy several planets at once upon firing. Ren stared at Snoke in disbelief. "It is yours if you do as I ask. Otherwise, I'll give it to someone else that may lack your moral restraint."

"What do you want?" Ren asked him.

"End the Jedi," Snoke ordered. "Then, no one will dare to attack your First Order."

* * *

Ren entered a meeting with her First Order officers on the _Ravager._ In attendance was Gen. Pryde, Gen. Hux, Gen. Quinn, Gen. Engell, Gen. Parnadee, and Adm. Griss. As per usual, Ren always wore her mask in these settings. "The First Order will soon become a true empire. I have discovered a new base on Illum," she said as she created a hologram on the table.

"It is well shielded and has firepower many times over that of the Death Stars. It is capable of destroying an entire solar system in a single shot. I call it Star-Killer base," Ren said to them.

"It sounds like folly. The empire put considerable resources and manpower into those Death Stars only to be destroyed by mere fighters. If there is a weakness, they will exploit it," Gen. Pryde said.

"With this weapon, we can destroy the Galactic Senate and end the New Republic before they are even aware of its existence. We should fire now while it remains a secret," Gen. Hux argued.

"Where did you acquire this new information?" Gen. Parnadee asked.

"An ally on Exegol," Ren said vaguely.

"Forgive me, Sir, but these allies on Exegol sound like a cult, conjurers, and soothsayers," Gen. Quinn remarked.

"Like me?" Ren asked rhetorically.

"With all respect, this Star-Killer base is an error. We should use our resources to increase the size of our fleet," Gen. Pryde argued.

"We also lack the manpower to defend such a base. We will need to expand recruitment, harvest the galaxy's young," Gen. Engell brought up.

"This base, is it a gift? What is being asked in return?" Gen. Quinn asked.

"The end of the Jedi," Ren replied.

There was an awkward silence in the conference room. "Gen. Hux, you will ensure Star-Killer base is operational with minimal crew and resources. You will make certain it remains an absolute secret from the New Republic, and you will not fire its main weapon until I give the order. Star-Killer base is to be a defensive deterrent against New Republic encroachment. Continue to build the fleet, recruit soldiers, and develop the worlds we currently have. When the galaxy sees our efficiency and order, they will come to us in droves," Ren ordered.

"And as for the Jedi?" Gen. Pryde asked skeptically.

"Leave them to me," Ren replied.

* * *

On Tython, Luke was visited by a force projection of Ren wearing a mask and uniform. "Why do you come to me now?" Luke asked her.

"I've come to ask you to disband the Jedi," Ren said bluntly.

"You are bold," Luke remarked.

"I have in my possession the power to destroy worlds. End the Jedi or I will use it," Ren threatened.

"No, you won't," Luke sensed. "You're not capable of planetary genocide."

"Can you take that risk?" Ren asked him.

"To which master do you serve?" Luke asked.

"I serve no one. I am the master," Ren said defensively. "If you do not disband, I will have no choice but to slaughter you all."

"You will try," Luke said skeptically.

"Consider this my final warning," Ren said and then disappeared from his view.

* * *

On the _Ravager,_ Ren witnessed Ben's training with the Knights of Ren. Despite having a lightsaber, the knights easily defeated him as they ganged up on him. "Leave us," Ren ordered her knights out.

Ben spat blood on the floor humiliated. Ren took off her mask to face him and touched his shoulder healing him of his injuries. "It's not fair. They attacked me all at once," Ben complained.

"Don't expect to always be in a fair fight," Ren told him.

"Something's the matter," Ben sensed her unease.

"Luke refuses to disband the Jedi...and I won't force him to," Ren said.

"That is the deal you made with Snoke, right? In return for Star-Killer base, the Jedi must end," Ben recalled.

"I have decided to alter the deal. I will take Star-Killer base for myself and allow the Jedi to live," Ren said. "I want you to go to Star-Killer base and keep an eye on Gen. Hux. He's youthful and impulsive. If he attempts to fire that weapon without my order, kill him."

"As you wish, master," Ben replied loyally.

"I will be with you soon," Ren promised him and then gave him a kiss.

Ben smiled completely smitten with her. Beyond being comrades-in-arms, they knew everything about one another. They knew each other's feelings, memories, and could communicate across space and time. Ren placed her mask back on and then exited the room.

* * *

Once Ben had left for Star-Killer base, Ren moved her fleet to Jakku to accept their allegiance into the First Order. The fleet composed of the _Ravager_ and two dozen Imperial Star Destroyers. To their surprise, the New Republic fleet also arrived in mass numbering 10 Starhawk battleships, 20 Mon Calamari cruisers, and a few dozen corvettes. The New Republic flagship was the _Home One_ cruiser that had fought at the Battle of Endor. On the bridge were Adm. Ackbar, Gen. Solo, Sen. Leia, Chewbacca, and C-3PO. In the hanger bay of _Home One_ was a rookie pilot named Poe Dameron.

"They're hailing us," Adm. Griss informed Ren on the bridge.

"Put them through," Ren allowed.

"This is General Han Solo of the New Republic. You have a New Republic prisoner that means a lot to me. Hand him over and leave this system," he ordered.

"What prisoner would that be?" Ren asked.

"My son, Ben Solo," Han said gruffly.

"Your son is our honored guest," Ren lied. "We are undergoing a diplomatic mission on Jakku. Do not interfere."

"You mean intimidation and coercion. You're no different than the old empire," Han said to her.

"All worlds are free to enter and leave the First Order as they please. It is you that compels dissatisfied worlds to stay," Ren replied.

"I will not let the galaxy be split in two," Han said seriously.

"Nor will I be intimidated by you, General Solo," Ren replied and cut off the transmission. "General Solo will not attack if he believes there is a chance his son is onboard."

* * *

On _Home One_ , Leia sensed through the Force for her son. "He's not there," she said to Han.

"Are you sure?" Han asked skeptically.

"I'm sure," Leia nodded.

"I think we have the advantage, general," Admiral Ackbar said to Han.

"I think you're right but we won't attack until they fire first," Han told him.

* * *

One of the Star Destroyers opened fire on the New Republic fleet starting the battle. Ren looked out the window and saw the Star Destroyer firing non-stop on its own. "On whose authority?" she demanded.

"I didn't give the order," Adm. Griss said just as surprised.

Ren extended her hand and choked the life out of the captain on that ship. However, the damage had been done. The New Republic fleet had the excuse they needed to engage. "Hail them," Ren ordered.

"They're not responding," Adm. Griss told her.

"Launch fighters, protect the _Ravager,_ " Ren ordered quickly.

New Republic and First Order fighters engaged one another between the two fleets. The Tie fighters were quickly killed off by the superiorly designed X-wing and A-wing fighters. The New Republic fleet moved closer and attempted to surround the First Order fleet. In response, the Star Destroyers surrounded the _Ravager_ and formed overlapping shields. Occasionally, a Star Destroyer would move out of position so that the _Ravager_ could fire its guns on a section of the New Republic fleet. The Star Destroyers were hit and harassed continuously by New Republic ships.

In the panic, one of the damaged Star Destroyers broke formation and rammed a Starhawk battleship splitting in two and causing significant damage to a second. In so doing so, there became a breach in the defensive perimeter. "Intensify firepower on that breach," Adm. Griss ordered.

A third Starhawk boldly went through the breach and engaged the _Ravager_ one-on-one. One of the bridge's shield generators was destroyed and sections of the _Ravager_ 's side were blasted through. The _Ravager_ fired back quickly disabling the Starhawk. As it was about the fall into the atmosphere, the Starhawk activated its tractor beam and pulled on the _Ravager_.

New Republic fighters specifically attacked the Ravager's engines creating explosions. "We're losing altitude," Adm. Griss informed Ren.

Ren closed her eyes inside her mask as she focused on the Force. With her power, she kept the _Ravager_ from moving. Unable to focus on her battle meditation and keeping the _Ravager_ from falling into the atmosphere, the Star Destroyers begin to receive heavy damage with many of them falling into the planet where they crashed into the sandy surface throwing debris everywhere.

Suddenly, the Mega-Class Star Deadnaight, _Supremacy_ , entered the battle with several Star Destroyers as an escort behind it. Ren eyed the _Supremacy_ having never seen it before but then sensed Snoke's presence on board. _"I sense your betrayal. You are unworthy of the Dark Side,"_ Snoke said in her mind.

* * *

Adm. Ackbar stared at the _Supremacy_ in awe. "I've never seen such a ship," he said.

"The Dark Side of the Force surrounds it," Leia sensed.

"Alright, disengage. All ships disengage and rendezvous in the Hosnian system," Gen. Solo ordered. "We will find Ben," he assured Leia.

She merely nodded trusting in him. The New Republican turned away from the First Order and retreated away. The First Order officers cheered as they saw the New Republic exit. "Turn every gun you have on that ship," Ren ordered Adm. Griss.

He hesitated, seeing the size and power of the _Supremacy_. The _Supremacy_ fired on the bridge of the _Ravager_ causing a massive explosion that killed nearly everyone present. A stunned Ren slammed into a computer console breaking her mask apart. The rest of the bridge crew were forced out into space. Eventually, the breaches were sealed with forcefields. The doors opened with medical personnel coming in to take Ren away.

"Take her to a shuttle," a medical officer said to her men.

The _Ravager_ quickly lost altitude and began to burn in the atmosphere. First Order personnel scrambled to find escape pods or shuttles off the doomed Super-Star Destroyer. Ren's armor and uniform became stripped away as medics worked to treat her. "Severe head injury but treatable," the lead medic analyzed.

"I never realized how young she was," another medic said surprised.

"Or a woman, for that matter," one remarked.

"Get her on the shuttle. It's the last one," the lead medic said taking Ren into the ship on a hovering medical table. The shuttle then took off as the _Ravager_ rapidly descended towards the planet. As the shuttle exited the hanger bay, it was hit with debris causing it to go into a spin. The shuttle fell towards the planet parallel to the _Ravager._ Finally, the _Ravager_ hit the Jakku surface creating a city-size mushroom cloud explosion. The spinning shuttle hit the surface of Jakku hard, tore apart, and sent all of its occupants across the sand. Ren remained unconscious on the sand with destroyed First Order ships all around her.

* * *

On Star-Killer base, Gen. Hux and Ben came before a giant hologram of Snoke. "Whom am I speaking to?" Gen. Hux asked suspiciously.

"I am Snoke. The one who told you about the Star-Killer base. I am now your Supreme leader," Snoke informed him.

"And what of Ren?" Ben interjected.

"I dealt with her betrayal," Snoke said vaguely. "The _Ravager_ has been destroyed."

"Destroyed? That was our flagship!" Gen. Hux said outraged.

Gen Hux felt himself forced to the floor. "It was a necessary loss. Now, I give to you an even more powerful ship in your grand armada. We will not be satisfied with merely asking worlds to join us. We will conquer the galaxy and end the New Republic forever."

Ben fought to keep his emotions in check. In the Force, distance meant nothing. He had been told of Snoke by Ren and knew what he was capable of. Ben went to a knee and bowed his head. "I pledge myself to your teachings. I humbly request to be your apprentice in the ways of the Dark Side."

"Good," Snoke smiled pleased. "I hope your feelings are clear."

"They are," Ben assured him. "I wish to meet you as soon as it can be arranged."

"In time," Snoke replied suspiciously. "If you wish to gain my trust, do what Ren failed to do. End the Jedi."

"As you wish, my master," Ben replied.

"Then, I will train you, personally," Snoke offered.

* * *

Ben returned to Tython with his Knights of Ren. He had given himself the name Kylo Ren after he had defeated each knight individually for the right to be their leader. He created for himself a helmet mask of his own design. As Snoke's new apprentice, he was given a Star Destroyer to go about his missions. In his personal chambers, he held the broken mask of Darth Vader.

"I will complete what you started," he said to the mask.

After some reflection, Kylo Ren and his knights took a shuttle down to the planet not far from the Jedi Academy. "Leave Skywalker to me," Kylo Ren ordered his knights. "Kill the rest.

It was night when the knights descended upon the academy. In a sneak attack, the knights slaughtered the academy students in their beds. Kylo Ren came upon Luke's hut and used the Force to completely demolish it upon him. The knights came back to Kylo Ren waiting to see if Luke would emerge. Sure enough, he used the Force to throw the debris off of him.

"Ben, what have you done?" he said anguished and confused.

"You know why I have come," Kylo Ren said cryptically.

"This isn't the way, Ben," Luke lectured him.

"There is no other way but this. Your death will be my ascension," Kylo Ren said to him. Kylo Ren took out his lightsaber and ignited it. Its red blade crackled with unstable energy from a Kyber crystal split three ways inside the hilt. Two smaller beams acted as crossguards. Kylo Ren rushed Luke swiping past him. Kylo Ren spun around for another swipe missing Luke completely.

Luke remained calm and collected even as he was surrounded and his Jedi academy in flames. Kylo went for another charge nearly slicing Luke's head off. Luke spun around keeping his balance as he regained an upright position. Kylo Ren quickly became frustrated with Luke's passive-aggressive approach. "I failed you, Ben. I'm sorry," Luke said to him.

"When I've killed you, I will have killed the last Jedi," Kylo Ren told him.

"This isn't going to bring her back," Luke said knowingly.

"She means nothing to me," Kylo Ren said for the benefit of his knights.

"Strike me down and I will always be with you," Luke said to him.

"I know," Kylo Ren replied.

The two came together and clashed repeatedly with their lightsabers in front of the Knights of Ren. "You've grown much, my young padawan," Luke complimented as they fought equally.

Luke suddenly disarmed Kylo Ren of his lightsaber. "You still have much to learn," Luke told him.

"I won't learn it from you," Kylo Ren replied back.

Luke merely shook his head in disappointment and used the Force to keep Kylo Ren paralyzed in place. Kylo Ren's lightsaber suddenly lifted off the ground and sliced Luke through his back. Luke gasped in shock and amazement as he saw the red blade go through his chest. He then fell to the ground at Kylo Ren's feet. Kylo Ren took a knee before his uncle and old master.

"Deception has become your way," Luke said softly.

"Yes, my master," Kylo Ren replied.

Luke gave him a confused look but then touched his mask affectionately before he died. As he lay on the ground, his body disappeared into the Force leaving behind his robes and an artificial hand. Kylo Ren picked up Luke's lightsaber and placed it on his belt. "Are there any survivors?" he asked his knights.

"None," they replied.

"Then we're done here," Kylo Ren said desiring to leave as soon as possible.

In the distance, R2D2 witnessed the entire massacre and moaned in grief at the death of his master. Across the galaxy, Leia felt a pain in her heart that her brother was gone.

* * *

On his Star Destroyer, Kylo Ren reported to Snoke what he had done. "The Jedi academy is destroyed. Skywalker is dead," he reported.

"I sensed a disturbance in the Force. Well done, my young apprentice," Snoke complimented.

"I seek an audience to deliver Skywalker's lightsaber to you, in person," Kylo Ren said showing him the lightsaber hilt.

"And yet, I still sense Skywalker. Tell me, when you slew Skywalker, did he become one with the Force?" Snoke asked.

"He did," Kylo Ren replied.

"Then, he's still a threat to us as long as living beings remember him," Snoke said concernedly. "You must destroy the New Republic. Only then will the Jedi be destroyed forever."

"As you wish, my master," Kylo Ren replied.

"When you killed Skywalker, how did it feel?" Snoke asked curiously.

"I felt nothing," Kylo Ren replied coldly.

"Keep watch over General Hux. Do not allow him to fire that weapon until I give the order," Snoke ordered.

"Yes, my master," Kylo Ren bowed his head as the hologram ended.

* * *

In his dreams, Kylo Ren saw a young woman wearing a mask and white desert clothes as she scavaged for parts among Star Destroyer ruins. He immediately identified the planet as Jakku. Night-after-night, he saw this girl but could not see her face. Finally, Kylo Ren went to see General Hux. "I have reason to believe there is Resistance activity on Jakku," he told him.

"Really?" Gen. Hux scoffed.

"If you do not wish to come, I'll go by myself," Kylo Ren told him.

Gen. Hux's face fell at that. If anything happened to Snoke's apprentice, he would be answerable for it. "Very well but this better not be another wild bantha chase."

"I assure you, you will not be disappointed," Kylo Ren promised.

Upon arriving at Jakku there was no sign of any Resistance activity. Kylo Ren stared out the windows of the Star Destroyer hoping to sense anything. After days of nothing, Gen. Hux became impatient. "Well, where is the Resistance you promised me?" he asked.

"General, I'm detecting a ship landing on Jakku: X-wing class," an Lt. informed him.

Kylo Ren eyed Gen. Hux with his mask. "I want a division."

"I'll have Captain Phasma take care of it," Gen. Hux said. "No need to get your hands dirty."

"I'll oversee this, personally," Kylo Ren rebuked him.


	2. Force Awakens

**Kylo Ren's POV**

The name I was given by my master was Kylo Ren, meaning "Sky Lilly." At first, I didn't think much of the name but as I worked mission-after-mission with the First Order, my name became feared across the galaxy. As the master of the Knights of Ren, I had a reputation to upkeep. Upon hearing that an X-wing class fighter had landed on Jakku, I knew then that my dreams were not a coincidence. Somehow, Ren was calling to me either alive or beyond the grave. Either way, I had to investigate it.

Would she reveal herself as merely a wound in the Force? Would I see her Force ghost that had been spoken of during my Jedi training? Or could I even hope to find her alive? If so, why was she on this Outer Rim world and not retaking the First Order? As I made preparations for the attack, I reduced all expectations of finding anything.

Several troop carriers and one First Order shuttle exited the _Finalizer_ and went straight for the X-wing fighter near a native village. Upon landing at the village, the Stormtroopers rushed out and began firing on the defenders. As per usual, we suffered more casualties but were able to overwhelm the enemy. The Stormtroopers had successfully disabled the X-wing and cleared the village. I then stepped out of the shuttle and came face-to-face with Lor San Tekka.

I admit I was surprised to see him in such squalor and my curiosity peaked as to what he was doing here. Two Stormtroopers brought him before me. "Look how old you have become," I said to provoke him. In his anger, he might reveal to me his secrets. However, he remained calm and collected before me without fear.

"Something far worse has happened to you," Lor shot back.

The comment stung. None of these so-called former family, friends, and allies could know what I had been secretly plotting. The only way to get to Snoke was to be in the same room as him, personally. To do that, I had to gain his trust as his apprentice. I would do anything, sacrifice anyone to achieve that goal...to save the galaxy and to avenge _her_.

"You know what I've come for," I replied referring to the New Resistance pilot.

"I know where you come from. Before you called yourself Kylo Ren," Lor antagonized.

"Give me what I want and you can live," I said generously.

"The First Order rose from the Dark Side. You did not," Lor reminded me.

"I will show you the Dark Side," I said menacingly as I lost patience with him. As I searched his mind, I realized he was not hiding the pilot at all but a...map. A map to where? Skywalker? How was it possible?

"You may try," Lor replied to me. "But you cannot deny the truth that is your family."

In a split-second decision, I knew I had to kill him. If he revealed I was Ben Solo to these troopers, it would spread like a wildfire through the ranks. Snoke already knew, of course, but the rest of the First Order hierarchy did not. Snoke would have no choice but to discard me to keep control of the First Order. The distance between us would get wider. I had to silence him permanently.

I ignited my lightsaber and held it over my head. Lor held his arms up in a futile defensive posture, and I slew him where he stood. I didn't have time to grieve for the kind old man that had taught me so many wonderful things in planetary archeology. He not only brought me on adventures but taught me the value of life in the galaxy. It was, in part to him, that I continued down this path.

A blaster bolt went straight for me. I held up my hand and suspended the bolt midair with the Force. I then paralyzed the New Republic pilot while Stormtroopers disarmed him and placed him in cuffs.

* * *

**Flashback**

Ren pointed a blaster at me as I held my lightsaber. "My uncle taught me that blasters were uncivilized," I told her.

"Really?" she smiled and fired a stun blast towards me.

I saw the blast coming towards me as if seeing the future. I knew where to hold the saber at the right moment. No amount of human reflex could block a blaster bolt, only knowledge of the future through the Force. I oriented my blade to block it when the stun blast remained suspended in the air. Ren fired several more times with each stun blast remaining suspended in the air.

"I'm not doing this," I admitted.

"No, I am," she smiled.

"For what purpose?" I asked. I then realized that the stun blast had me surrounded on all sides. It would be impossible to block them all.

"You can try to block with your lightsaber and hope for the best or you can trust in the Force to protect you," Ren said to me.

"How?" I asked.

"The same way I have you surrounded. Use the Force to stop them from hitting you or redirect them," Ren taught.

"The Force only moves objects," I said confused.

"The Force is in every object, it's in the energy, and it is in your soul. There is nothing you cannot command with the Force," she said to me.

"Alright," I said ready to feel the pain and shock of being hit.

Ren unleashed one bolt towards me which I was able to keep back just in time. She then unleashed another which I also barely kept still. I smiled at her feeling more confident in myself. She then unleashed them all from all directions. I lost my focus and was hit several times. I fell to the ground unable to move and in intense pain as all my muscles contracted. Ren stood over me amused.

"If you have to deflect a blaster bolt with your lightsaber, you have already failed," she told me.

**End Flashback**

* * *

The Stormtroopers brought the pilot to me and forced him to his knees. I went to a knee as I studied him. He was not a Jedi, his mind was wide open to me. "So, who talks first? I talk first, you talk first," he asked nervously in a failed attempt to mock me and keep his confidence.

"The old man gave it to you," I realized upon reading his mind.

"It's just very hard to understand with all the...," Poe continued.

"Search him," I ordered.

"Nothing, Sir," the Stormtroopers told me.

With my hand, I searched into his mind more thoroughly. X-wing pilots almost always had droids with them to help navigate. I recalled Uncle Luke traveling with R2D2 whenever he went out on a mission. I then saw the droid, a BB-8 unit. I saw him put the map in the droid and tell him to leave.

"We're searching for a droid. Search the area," I ordered.

Poe's smug expression faded as my Stormtroopers started spreading out from the village. "Skywalker is dead. Why is this map so important?" I asked him.

Poe merely shook his head not knowing anything useful. When I had killed Luke, he was flesh and blood. Of that, I was absolutely certain of. But was it possible he spread his essence, his spirit, to different locations across the galaxy? Was this merely misdirection to expend First Order resources? This pilot was ignorant of such mysticisms in the Force. He was merely following orders...from General Leia Organa.

"Put him on board," I ordered after I was done with him.

"Sir, the villagers?" Captain Phasma asked me.

If I left them live, word would get back to Snoke and he would begin to doubt my seriousness in the Dark Side. I eyed the defenseless men, women, and children of the village. "Question them all and then kill them all," I ordered.

I went back to my shuttle not wanting to witness Captain Phasma's interrogation techniques. As I did, I couldn't help but feel something from one of the troopers. It was weak but still there. One of my troopers had an affinity to the Force. Still, it wasn't too far above the average for me to be concerned with. As I left, I allowed the blaster bolt to hit their moisture farming tower.

* * *

Upon arriving back on the _Finalizer,_ I approached General Hux. He had no affinity in the Force but was a clever military and political leader within the First Order. In his hubris, he considered himself second-in-command to Supreme Leader Snoke. He often had treasonous thoughts to overthrow Snoke but neither of us knew his location. Snoke supposedly was always on the _Supremacy_ and never stayed in one spot for too long. In this regard, our interests intersected, and so I tolerated him.

"Who would have thought we would have captured the New Republic's best fighter pilot on a world like this?" Gen. Hux mused.

"He was here to collect a map of Skywalker's location. The map is in a BB-8 unit," I informed him.

"But Skywalker is dead," Gen. Hux said confused.

"Do not underestimate the Force. This is now my jurisdiction," I told him. "We're not leaving until I have that map."

"Of course, I will have to inform Supreme Leader Snoke as to our delay," Gen. Hux said smugly.

"By all means, general," I said unsurprised.

The two of us entered a room used for hologram communications. Snoke's disfigured face appeared before us. "What is it?" he asked annoyed.

"A map to Skywalker exists in a BB-8 unit. I can only assume the coordinates are in uncharted space," I informed Snoke.

"How is that possible? I felt Skywalker's death," Snoke said thoughtfully.

"It's possible the New Republic is merely mistaken or this could be a ruse to waste our resources," Gen Hux argued.

"If that were true, they would not have sent their best pilot to acquire the map," I countered.

"The ability to influence the masses even after death is well within the power of the Force," Snoke considered. "Find or destroy the droid," he ordered.

"As you wish, my master," I bowed my head as the hologram ended.

* * *

After a brief meditation, I heard the alarms throughout the ship. I made my way to the bridge to find Gen. Hux distressed. "A rogue trooper released our prisoner, captured a Tie fighter, and crash-landed on the planet," Gen. Hux informed me.

"They must be going for the map," I assumed.

"Tie fighters do not have trans-warp capabilities. They have nowhere else to go," Gen. Hux argued. "I'll send a squad to recover the wreckage."

"Tie fighter wreckage does not concern me, general. I want that droid," I said authoritatively.

"Supreme Leader Snoke's orders were explicit. Find the droid if we can but destroy it if we must," Gen. Hux said desiring to bombard the planet from orbit.

"How capable are your soldiers, general?" I mocked knowing it would infuriate him.

"I won't have you question my methods," Gen. Hux replied.

"They're obviously skilled in committing high treason. Perhaps, Supreme Leader Snoke should consider a clone army," I suggested.

"My men are exceptionally trained, programmed from birth," Gen. Hux said defensively.

"Then, they should have no trouble retrieving the droid, unharmed," I said using his pride and arrogance against him.

"Careful, _Ren_ , that your personal interests do not interfere with Leader Snoke's orders," Gen. Hux warned.

"I want that map. For your sake, I suggest you get it," I said to intimidate him and left the bridge.

It would not be the first nor would it be the last that we would try to undermine the other in the eyes of Snoke. Still, I had the advantage as Snoke was more interested in the affairs of the Force than military campaigns. He knew that one Force-user could topple an empire no matter how many battle stations or ships were in his possession. Snoke knew that the return of Skywalker in any form could destroy him.

* * *

Soon thereafter, Gen. Hux sent a lieutenant to give me the news. I was eyeing the profile of the rogue trooper realizing it was the same one I had felt in the village. The Force was with him, however small. "Sir, we were unable to acquire the droid on Jakku," he said nervously. "It escaped capture aboard a stolen Correllian YT freighter."

I immediately was aware of that kind of ship. It was no doubt the Millennium Falcon that my father had lost. He was well aware of the ship's capabilities against Tie fighters and speed. "The droid...stole a freighter?" I asked incredulously wanting him to continue his report.

"Not exactly, Sir. It had help. We have no confirmation but we believe FN-2187 may have helped in the escape," he said.

The rogue trooper's story continued to intrigue me but something did not add up. The First Order had sent a platoon of troopers and a Tie fighter escort to the droid's last location. It was beyond the capabilities of a rogue trooper to escape. "Anything else?" I asked.

"The two were accompanied by a girl," he added.

A girl? It couldn't be possible, could it? But the coincidences were starting to pile up. On the planet where Ren supposedly died, the map to Skywalker emerged. The dreams, the rogue trooper, the pilot, and Lor: what did it all mean? "What _girl_?" I demanded of him.

"We don't know anything as of yet. We think she may have been a scavenger who found the droid," the lieutenant told him.

I recalled my dreams of the scavenger girl with her face hidden. It was _her_ and the Force was with _her._ The Force awakening in the trooper was no accident but if the report could be believed, Ren could be anywhere. "Leave me," I ordered the lieutenant away.

As soon as he was gone, I ignited my lightsaber and destroyed my computer console in a fit of rage. I had been so close to finding her and now she was gone. I calmed myself down and trusted in the Force to deliver her to me once more.

* * *

With the droid gone, there was no longer reason to stay at Jakku. Gen. Hux ordered the _Finalizer_ to Star-Killer base. There, I spoke to Snoke via hologram in a large room. His appearance looked gigantic as he sat upon this throne presumably onboard the _Supremacy_ wherever that happened to be _._ At my side was Gen. Hux to receive some of the blame.

"The droid will soon be in the hands of the New Republic leading them to the last Jedi," Snoke said displeased. "If Skywalker returns, the new Jedi will rise," Snoke said."Our strategy must now change."

"The weapon. It is ready," Gen. Hux said ambitiously. "I believe the time has come to use it. We shall destroy the New Republic government. We will destroy them before they reach Skywalker."

Snoke seemed relieved at this idea. "Go. Oversee preparations."

"Yes, Supreme Leader," Gen. Hux said loyally and then gave me a look indicating he believed he had won this round. Nothing could be further from the truth as the power of the base was nothing compared to the Force.

"There's been an awakening. Have you felt it?" Snoke asked once Gen. Hux was gone.

"Yes," I said coyly concealing my feelings and thoughts as much as I could.

"There's something more. The droid we seek is onboard the Millennium Falcon. No doubt, it is now in the hands of your father, Han Solo," Snoke said.

"He means nothing to me," I replied hoping to keep him out of the conversation.

"Even you, Master of the Knights of Ren, have never faced such a test," Snoke mused.

"What test?" I asked dreading the answer.

"Kill General Solo and recover the droid," Snoke ordered.

"In return, I seek to witness your power with my own eyes," I beseeched him.

"We shall see," Snoke said vaguely and then ended the transmission.

* * *

Onboard the _Finalizer_ , I entered my personal chambers and took off my mask. I looked over the broken mask of Darth Vader. "I feel it...all the time. The pull to the Light. Supreme Leader Snoke senses it," I said to it.

It started off as a dull glow and then my grandfather appeared to me as a middle-aged man in black robes, what he would have been if not for his horrific injuries. "Are you willing to sacrifice everything to destroy Snoke?" he asked me.

"I am," I said resolved.

"Even _her_?" he asked.

"I do not even know if she's truly alive," I admitted.

"Trust your feelings. You know it is true," he said gently.

I said nothing to that. "To destroy the emperor, I betrayed my order, ordered the deaths of everyone in the Jedi temple, and tried to kill my master, Obiwan," Anakin said to me.

"If not for Obiwan, my namesake, you would have killed the emperor," I said.

"Perhaps or perhaps not," Anakin replied. "Do not go on this journey alone as I did or you will be consumed by the Dark Side."

"Be with me," I requested of him.

"Always," Anakin replied and then faded away.

I then saw a flash as someone touched my grandfather's old lightsaber. I was suddenly on Bespin. Instead of Luke, I saw Ren's face as Darth Vader approached. She is alive, I realized. I didn't have to go on this path alone.

* * *

Onboard the _Finalizer,_ I reached out to my mother to evacuate the Hosnian system through the Force. She felt my voice and evacuated before Star-Killer base's laser could hit the system. Once it did, it annihilated five planets along with the bulk of the New Republic fleet.

"What have you done, my young apprentice?" Snoke whispered in my mind.

"I'll kill her, myself," I told him.

"Very well," Snoke said pleased and left my mind.

"An informant spotted General Han Solo and the droid on Takodana," the ship's captain informed me as I watched the Star-Killer base unleash its power across the galaxy.

"Take us there," I ordered quickly.

"Shouldn't we wait for General Hux and the rest of the fleet?" the captain asked.

"No, I will deal with them, personally. They will not escape me," I told him. In truth, I wanted to ensure I made contact with Ren. I couldn't allow for the possibility that one of my own men might kill her. I would sacrifice an entire division if I could just get her back.

* * *

At Takodana, Tie fighters quickly controlled the airspace and began firing on Maz Kanata's castle to force its defenders out. Troop carrier ships landed on the ground flooding the area with Stormtroopers. My own personal shuttle landed as soon as the area was clear. I exited the shuttle and sensed around for Rey. "She's here," I said to myself.

A Stormtrooper fired on Rey in the forest. With the Force, I choked the Stormtrooper to the ground. Two more Stormtroopers fell to the ground choking as they fired on Rey as she fled into the forest. "The droid was spotted heading west with a girl," a squad leader informed me.

Seeing through the eyes of a Stormtrooper, I saw Rey run further away from the battlefield with the droid at her side. I choked out the Stormtrooper and ignored my father, Chewbacca, and the rogue Stormtrooper. I would deal with them later. Finally, I found her on a creek bed. She fired on me with her blaster. I easily deflected her blaster shots as I slowly followed her. To my amazement, she didn't look changed at all. She hadn't suffered any limb loss, traumatic injury, or facial disfigurement.

She seemed afraid of me as she fled from me firing as she did. I finally paralyzed her keeping her blaster behind her back. At this point, I wondered if she had weakened or was simply toying with me. Why was she with the droid? Why was she with my father and the New Republic? Why had she been on Jakku for so long? She didn't appear to recognize me and showed genuine fear at my appearance. I had never seen her show fear before.

I reached out to her with my hand to read her mind. To my shock and amazement, she had no memory of who she was or what she was capable of. Aside from some scattered childhood memories, all she knew was her scavaging on Jakku. "No," I said softly to myself.

"New Republic fighters have come in. We need more troops," a squad leader interrupted my thoughts.

"Pull the division out. Forget the droid. We have what we need," I told him. I then sent Ren into sleep and picked her up. With Stroomtroopers escorting me, I brought Ren into the shuttle and left the battlefield.

It had been a costly affair with several Tie fighters destroyed and companies of Stormtroopers dead, but I had what I wanted. What I had always wanted.

* * *

On Star-Killer base, I placed Ren in an interrogation chair and woke her up. I watched her intently as she seemed to struggle with her restraints. "Where am I?" she asked fearfully.

"You're my guest," I said cryptically as I continued to study her mind. I then took off my mask and watched her reaction. She gave me a look of genuine confusion as to why I would need one. She had been expecting me to have a burned disfigured appearance.

"Do you know who you are?" I asked her.

"Rey," she said flatly.

"Is that all?" I asked.

She merely stared at me confused. "How do you think you're able to be such an accomplished scavager, pilot, gunner, mechanic, and affinity with the Force without training?" I asked her.

"I don't know," she admitted.

"But I do. Try to remember," I said to her as I moved my hand towards her face. To my surprise, she managed to resist me a bit.

"You're afraid," she sensed of me. In truth, she was exactly right but not because I felt afraid of her. I was afraid that my Ren was lost forever and that only this shell remained.

"Do not attempt to escape," I told her and then left the room befuddled.

* * *

I met up with Gen. Hux in the corridors. "Our guest is none other than Ren Palpatine," I informed him.

"The scavenger girl?" he asked doubtfully.

"She has lost her memories, but she is strong in the Force," I told him.

"What are you up to?" Gen. Hux asked suspiciously.

"Do you think you will fare better under Snoke or her? We can force Snoke out of hiding and overthrow him. Then, the First Order will be yours," I suggested.

"This is high treason," he reminded me.

"And was it treason when so many stood by as Snoke destroyed the _Ravager_ with her on it?" I asked rhetorically. "How many did you call friends died that day?"

"Show her to me," Gen. Hux requested.

The two of us went down to the detention block and found the interrogation chair empty. "No," I said frustrated. "Guards! Guards!" I shouted enraged. Gen Hux merely smirked at my failure.

"Perhaps she is Ren, after all," he mocked. "See to it that you find her before I power up the weapon. It will get cold outside," he said condescendingly as he left.

I searched for Rey in my own way when a lieutenant approached me. "Sir, she was not found in Hangar 718 but all troops are on alert."

"Put every hangar on lockdown. She's going to try to steal a ship to escape," I ordered and then paused as I felt my father's presence. "Han Solo," I realized.

* * *

On the bridge, Gen. Hux noticed two dozen X-wing fighters approaching the base. "Our shields are done. Rerouting to the alternative shield generator," a commander said to Gen. Hux.

"No, let them think we are vulnerable. Keep the shields down," Gen. Hux ordered.

As expected, the fighters went straight for the thermal oscillator for their bombing run. They fired on the heavily armored fortress scoring direct hits but no significant damage. "Dispatch all squadrons," Gen Hux ordered upon seeing the fighters.

Tie fighters rushed to the area and contested the air space with the New Republic fighters. So long as the X-wings were preoccupied with fighters, they couldn't do another bombing run. Additionally, ground turbo laser cannons and missiles filled the air occasionally hitting an X-wing fighter.

In space, the New Republic fleet arrived with hundreds of vessels. With the shields down, they fired upon the base scoring minor damage to the laser cannon system. X-wing and A-wing fighters descended upon the base.

"Send out a distress call to Supreme Leader Snoke. Our shields are down and our thermal oscillator is compromised. We are being engaged by the entire New Republic fleet," Gen. Hux ordered his communications officer.

* * *

Inside the thermal oscillator, I sensed my father and Rey. "Find them," I ordered a platoon of Stormtroopers behind me. The structure was vast making it difficult to find them even with the use of the Force. I made my way onto a bridge to search the other side of the structure when my father called out my old name. "Ben!" he shouted.

I turned around to find him at the end of the bridge. Below me was a bottomless pit that reached the core of the planet itself. My father was in a stolen First Order uniform with a military haircut and clean-shaven face. Since the end of the Galactic Civil War, he had become a respected general in the New Republic. For someone who had no connection to the Force, he was quite accomplished. But even he could not defeat Snoke. Only I could.

He walked towards me with his usual stern expression as if to give me an order. "I've been waiting for this day a long time," I said sincerely. Looking up, I saw Rey and the rogue trooper a few floors above. "Take off that mask. You don't need it," my father ordered me.

"What do you think you'll see if I do?" I tested him.

"The face of my son," he replied.

I complied taking off the mask and held it in my left hand. "Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you. You know it's true," he said coming right up to me.

"It's too late," I told him.

"No, it's not. Leave here with me. Come home. We miss you," he said to me.

My eyes watered as I knew what had to be done. In order to please Snoke, to be in the same room as him, to destroy him, I needed to kill him. I needed to show him that I was fully immersed in the Dark Side even if it wasn't true. I knew this day would come, but I didn't think it would be now. "I'm being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain," I admitted.

"I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?" I asked him. In my own way, I was asking permission to kill him to advance my mission.

"Yes, anything," he told me.

I felt a sick sense of relief as I heard those words. I knew that he didn't understand, couldn't understand my burden. I dropped my mask and took out my lightsaber savoring every moment with him. I placed the lightsaber in front of him with both hands. He touched it as if to take it away from me. The star then disappeared as the Star-Killer base took all of its energy. The vast room became dark.

I suddenly ignited my lightsaber into my father's chest and out his back. Chewbacca roared in grief from a distance away. "Thank you," I said to him knowing this would take me one step closer to Snoke. I wanted him to know I was grateful for everything and hoped that in the afterlife he would come to understand and forgive me.

I withdrew my blade from him knowing he was already dying. He gave me a look of shock, pain, and grief. He touched my face affectionately and then lost his balance as he fell over the bridge into the abyss. It was my darkest moment and I knew then that if I failed in my mission, I was truly damned.

Chewbacca roared in anger and fired on me with his crossbow getting a direct hit on my side. I fell to a knee dumbfounded by the hit. Stormtroopers rushed to get over to Chewbacca and chased him away. He then detonated the explosions he had placed around the facility creating a gaping hole.

* * *

In space, the _Supremacy_ arrived with an escort of Star Destroyers. The First Order fleet immediately fired upon the New Republic fleet non-stop. Tie fighters swarmed the smaller New Republic ships. "Take evasive action," Adm. Ackbar ordered as he saw the _Supremacy_. Thousands of turbo lasers from the _Supremacy_ fired on the New Republic ships punching holes into their hulls. None of the New Republic return fire was penetrating the _Supremacy_ 's powerful shields.

"Shields up," Gen. Hux ordered upon seeing the _Supremacy_.

Star-Killer base immediately regained its shields using an auxiliary tower on the surface. The fighters still in the atmosphere were trapped from leaving. They went for the damaged thermal oscillator and tried to make their way inside as they were being fired upon from all directions.

"All craft, retreat," Adm. Ackbar ordered.

"We're being held in a gravity well. We can't enter hyperspace," an aid informed him.

* * *

With the Star-Killer base vulnerable, I went after Rey. I would not lose her again. I tracked them down in the cold dark forest and cornered them with my lightsaber already ignited. "We're not done, yet," I told them both.

"You're a monster," Rey said to me.

"It's just us now," I told them.

Rey went to shoot me when I used the Force to throw her into a tree knocking her unconscious. "Rey!" the rogue trooper known as Finn shouted. He checked her vitals and tried to wake her up. Unable to do so, he took the lightsaber to defend himself.

"That lightsaber belongs to me," I told him.

"Come and get it," he taunted me.

I aggressively charged him and overpowered him forcing him to the ground. I backed off as the pain in my side was distracting me. Finn got back up and tried to swing at me. I pushed him back once more into a tree. There, I used one of the crossguard beams to burn his shoulder. He cried out in pain from the agony of my blade. I sliced down upon him for a killing blow, but he managed to escape just in time. He swung back at me, hitting me in the shoulder. Regaining my composure, I quickly disarmed him, punched him to the face to stun him, and then sliced his back open with my blade. He fell in the snow barely alive.

The trooper had shown a remarkable ability for someone not trained in the Force. It was one thing to hold the weapon and another to be able to fight with it. If not for the fact that he was dead, he would have been an asset to me. I reached for my grandfather's lightsaber in the snow. It went through the eye, went passed me, and into Rey's hands. Of course, her powers had now been restored. Of course, she had now surpassed me.

"Come with me and I will show you who you are," I said to her.

"I don't think I want to know," she shook her head.

Rey charged me with stabbing movements similar to her Juyu form. It was the Dark Side form she had inherited from her grandfather. She attempted to stab me multiple times with me blocking all of her attempts. She didn't know it at that moment, but she was resorting to her old and tried lightsaber techniques. I kept pushing her back hoping to overwhelm her or disarm her with the Djem So. She kept evading me and using the trees to cover her. With the trees all around, my sweeping strikes were nearly always interfered with or blocked.

She attempted to stab through me once more without success. I finally went to disarm her as I held her own lightsaber close to her body with her back against a cliff. "You were my teacher. You showed me the ways of the Force," I said to her hoping to get her to remember.

She simply stared at me and then got out of my bind. She switched her style to Djem So and slammed me repeatedly forcing me back. She sliced into my leg dropping me for a moment. With the injury to my shoulder, abdomen, and leg, I was beginning to lose physical strength. Going back to Juyu, she stabbed me in the other shoulder, slammed me with her blade, and kicked me into the snow. She gave me a look of hate as the Dark Side returned to her. But she was not using it as a tool, it was consuming her. In a last desperate attempt, I grabbed her wrist to keep her still.

She forced my blade into the snow as my shoulder injury gave me agony. She sliced my lightsaber to pieces and then swung up into my face. I fell into the snow stunned but lucky to be alive. The cut to my face was superficial. Any closer and she would split my head in two. An earthquake forced us apart creating a chasm. She gave me one last look and took off.

"No!" I screamed once she was gone.

* * *

What followed was an agonizing trip back to the bridge. The planet was collapsing all around me in powerful earthquakes. Arriving on the bridge, the officers gave me a look not realizing who I was without the mask. "The thermal oscillator has been hit, the fuel cells have ruptured, and the planet has begun to collapse," Gen Hux informed me.

"What of our shields?" I asked.

"They're gone. Every ship is evacuating the planet. We must go as well," Gen Hux said.

"Does Snoke know the planet is about to explode?" I asked.

"Not yet," Gen. Hux admitted.

"We stay here and let the explosion destroy him," I said.

"Listen to yourself. You and I will be dead!" Gen. Hux shouted.

"It's worth it if he dies!" I shouted back.

Gen. Hux pulled out a pistol and stunned me to the floor. "Take this man to my shuttle," he ordered.

The Star-Killer base collapsed in on itself and then exploded into a star consuming what was left of the New Republic fleet. In an instant, millions were dead on both sides. The _Supremacy_ and its escort backed away just in time. I was then taken to the medical bay on the _Supremacy_ not knowing if Rey had survived. In my dreams, I saw her embrace my mother on a New Republic base. I saw my mother's tears as she realized my father was dead and by my hands no-less. As the medical droids went to work on my injuries, I focused on my goal. I was now on Snoke's ship, one step closer to killing him.


	3. Rise of Skywalker

**Rey POV**

On the jungle moon of Yavin IV, I felt a sense of peace and tranquility alone. I felt the Force as I meditated above the ground with small rocks rotating around me. As I basked in the warm feeling of the Force, I also felt anger and frustration coming from Kylo Ren. I felt his pain as droids worked on his wounds. I felt his grief as he believed I had died in the explosion of Star-Killer base.

He believed I was his teacher, but I had no memory of it. Nor did Leia. How could I be this powerful master in the Force without anyone knowing it? Ever since I touched that lightsaber in Takodona, the Force had awakened in me so strongly. I could levitate objects, persuade weak-minded people to my will, and handle a lightsaber with ease. Could Kylo Ren be telling me the truth? What was I to him? Why did he want me so badly?

I began to lose focus and dropped to the ground along with all the rocks. Leia was there to watch my training. "Rey, be patient," she said upon seeing my frustration.

"I know I have memories that I need to unlock, but I'm beginning to think it is impossible," I told her.

"Nothing is impossible," Leia reminded me.

I nodded to her. "I'm going to run the training course," I said and then took off deeper into the forest. I placed a helmet over my eyes and walked across a thin rope over a crevice. A small mechanical orb fired on me as I tried to balance. I used the Force to see the ball fire before it did helping me to deflect it perfectly. As I crossed the other side, I started to lose focus as Kylo Ren entered my mind. I was hit multiple times infuriating me. I took off the helmet and then wildly swung at the ball. It continued to hit me as it kept a good distance away from me. I slashed several trees and then threw the lightsaber in the air. The spinning lightsaber went through a few trees and then came back towards my hand. The orb, seeing me disarmed, went closer. I took a stick and slammed it against a tree destroying it. My lightsaber then went back into my hand.

In my mind, I saw Kylo Ren looking over the mask of Darth Vader. "Join me," I heard in Vader's voice.

* * *

I went back to the base and found Leia. "I didn't finish the training course. I got distracted," I admitted. "I'm just not feeling myself. I know it looks like I'm making excuses"

"Don't tell me what it looks like. Tell me what they are," Leia said.

"I feel there is something about me, hidden, and I don't know whether I want to know it," I said honestly.

"What do you fear it is?" Leia asked.

"Who was Ben's teacher?" I asked.

Leia gave me a sad look. "Luke, of course."

"Did he have any others?" I asked.

Leia considered that thoughtfully. "After he left the Jedi Academy, he was never seen again for years. Then, for reasons I can't understand, he killed Luke and all of his students."

"During that time, who was he with?" I pressed.

"I don't know," Leia admitted. "Perhaps it was Snoke."

I decided to hold back Kylo Ren's claim that I was his teacher during those times. Leia appeared exhausted and emotionally distressed by the conversation. "General, the Millennium Falcon still hasn't come back yet. The commander is asking for guidance," a New Republic lieutenant informed her.

I handed the lightsaber back to Leia feeling as if it didn't belong to me. "I will earn your brother's saber one day."

"When you see him, you can give it back to him," Leia smiled.

"Yes, master," I smiled.

BB-8 had handed over to the New Republic critical details on the map to Luke Skywalker but there was a significant missing piece. I looked at a hologram star map from BB-8 and saw the last planet before it went dark. Poe came by to check up on me. He had been like a brother to me. "I'm going to start here on Pasaana," I told him.

"I'll go with you," Poe replied. "Chewie, you got that compressor fixed?" he asked him.

Chewbacca said in the affirmative. "I have to go alone," I insisted to Poe.

"Yeah, alone with friends," Poe said dismissively.

"It's too dangerous, Poe. I've already lost Finn. The New Republic can't lose you, too," I said emotionally.

Poe gave me a sad look reflecting on Finn's death. His body had been brought back to the base and buried as a New Republic soldier. "Star pilots like myself aren't going to win this war. The galaxy needs its hero, Luke Skywalker. We go together," Poe told her.

Chewie roared in agreement. "I whole-heartedly agree," C-3PO said to BB-8's beeping. They would all go. C-3PO walked over to a still deactivated R2D2. "I want you to know that should I not return, you've been my best friend," he said to the silent droid.

I went over to Leia before I was about to leave. "There's so much I wish to tell you," I admitted unable to articulate my feelings.

"Tell me when you get back," Leia smiled.

I gave her an embrace as if it would be the last time I would see her. "Rey, never be afraid of who you are," she said to me.

* * *

**Kylo Ren's POV**

On the _Supremacy_ , I finally came before Snoke in person. I entered a long hall with Royal Guards standing next to the walls a get distance from Snoke. They were not there to protect Snoke per se but to avenge him should anyone managed to kill him. Apprehensive of his own guards, none of them were allowed to be close to him. Snoke's throne was one hundred paces from the doors. On his throne was a hologram emitter so he wouldn't have to move from that spot. Closeby was a viewscreen to the outside.

One hundred paces away from Snoke, I took a knee. If I went any closer without his permission, he would kill me on the spot. I needed to get closer if I was to succeed. With the Royal Guard present, I would not survive. I knew this coming in. "How's your wound?" Snoke's soft voice was in my head.

"It will heal," I said dismissively.

"The mighty Kylo Ren. When I found you, I saw what all masters live to see: raw untamed power. And beyond that, something truly special: the potential of your bloodline. A new Vader," Snoke complimented. "General Solo was a thorn in my side for some time. Of all people, he had the greatest hand in destroying the Star-Killer base. For killing him, you should be rewarded. Come within twenty paces of me."

I walked closer to Snoke counting the paces in my head and then took a knee. I would still need to get closer to him for a direct attack. "How did you become bested by a girl who had never held a lightsaber?" he asked me.

"I was injured and distracted. I won't happen again," I assured him.

Snoke eyed me as if to study me. "And yet, I sense the light in you. All apprentices seek to kill and overthrow their master. My apprentice, Darth Sideous, tried to kill me in my sleep like the coward he was. He left me this," he said touching the scar on his forehead. "It is the way of things, it is the way of the Sith. But your grandfather didn't kill Darth Sideous to overthrow him but to save his son."

I said nothing to that. "I do not begrudge your desire to kill me, but you will never do so as you are now, Ben Solo," he mocked. "A master of the Darkside will never be succeeded by a Jedi."

"I have given everything I have to you, to the Dark Side," I replied.

"Not yet, you haven't. Kill your mother, Leia Organa, and you can move ten paces closer to me," Snoke smiled.

Enraged, I got up with my lightsaber ignited. Snoke blasted me with Force lightning contracting all my muscles at once and obliterating my thoughts. His Royal Guard suddenly became ready if required. The electrical discharges sparked off my mask as I fell to the floor. "You know what you have to do," Snoke said to me as he dismissed me.

* * *

In my chambers, I sought out Rey and found her mind on some desert world. "Come to me, Rey. Join me. You can't hide, not from me," I said in her head.

"I see through your mask. You're haunted," Rey sensed. "You can't stop seeing what you do to your father."

"Do you still count the days since you woke up on Jakku? Do you ever wonder what happened before? I sense your pain and anger. I don't want to have to kill you. I'm going to find you, and I'm going to bring out your true self. When I offer my hand to you, you will take it," I said to her.

"We'll see," Rey replied mirroring Snoke in my mind.

I then grabbed her necklace through space-and-time as I disconnected from her. With this, I would find her. Shortly thereafter, I had the necklace examined by First Order analysts. "It comes from the Middian system, Pasaana, Forbidden Valley," a lieutenant informed me.

"Get my ship ready. Inform the division stationed there," I ordered and then made my way to the hangar bay.

* * *

On Pasaana, my knights and I arrived in Tie fighters while the local garrison went after the Rey with their speeders. With the Force, I sensed Rey's location and circled around her location. She simply stood there out in the open as if daring me to gun her down. She then threw the lightsaber in the air and guided it with the Force. The blue lightsaber slashed off a wing of my Tie fighter sending it into a spin. I fought to regain control of the fighter but ended up crashing nearby.

Despite my inconvenience, my knights managed to capture a valuable target: Chewbacca. I could use him as leverage to gain Rey's cooperation. The knights took off in a transport shuttle with additional prisoners and a platoon of Stormtroopers. I emerged from my Tie fighter wreckage and found Rey using the Force to keep the shuttle from leaving. Her skills had increased dramatically since our last encounter. She was becoming more-and-more to her old self.

I lifted my hand to release the shuttle and it became a battle of wills between us. The shuttle shifted between us and then something unexpected happened. She fired Force lightning at the transport shuttle causing it to explode split into pieces and fall to the ground with all aboard killed. "Chewie!" Rey shrieked.

Chewbacca was an old friend of my father and a veteran of the Clone Wars. We were never particularly close but when I was still with my father, he pledged to defend me with his life. That is until I killed my father sending him into a rage. He nearly killed me on Star-Killer base. But even so, I now grieved his death and realized no one would be spared the tragedy of this struggle.

As a Sith Lord, Rey had shown me Force lightning before but not in this uncontrolled fashion. Rey looked positively stunned by what she had done. I considered whether to approach her or back away. Her powers had returned but not her memories. So long as this was the case, she was dangerous. The Tie fighter crash had also diminished my fighting capacity. With additional Tie fighters on their way, I allowed Rey to escape.

* * *

The First Order tracked Mellinium Falcon to Kijimi while I was given a new fighter. Chewbacca and the Knights of Ren were all gone in an instant. I waited in my quarters and tried to sense Rey's mind. It wasn't long before I sensed her on a new world. "Rey," I reached out. "Wherever you are, you are hard to find," I acknowledged.

"You're hard to get rid of," she shot back.

"I pushed you in the desert because I needed you to see it. I needed you to see it. To see who you are. I know the rest of your story," I told her.

"You're lying," she spat.

"I never lied to you. Search your memories," I encouraged.

"No!" she shouted igniting her lightsaber and clashing with me to end our connection.

I continued to duel her in my quarters while she whirled in her lightsaber in the town's marketplace below. For the locals on the planet, Rey must have looked possessed as she fought only the air. "Tell me where you are. You don't know the whole story," I said to her.

She continued to slash at me with unrefined moves. I merely blocked her or got out of the way. "Tell me then," she relented knowing she couldn't kill me this way.

"The Emperor saw what you would become. You don't just have power. You have his power. You're his granddaughter. You are a Palpatine," I revealed.

She simply gave me a look of shock and horror. "My mother was the daughter of Vader. Your father was the son of the Emperor. We are a dyad in the Force, two that are one. We will kill Snoke, together, and take the throne. You know what you need to do. You know it," I told her.

"I do," she said ending our connection.

* * *

I tracked Rey down to the Endor moon. She had acquired a Sith blade on Pasanna, deciphered its message on Kijimi, and was now headed there for another clue. She made her way through the ruins of the second Death Star that had fallen on the moon after its destruction. Using the Force, she discovered the Emperor's lookout and went inside his personal quarters. There, she found a Sith Holocron that would complete the map to the edge of the galaxy. It was here that she met her true self: Darth Ren.

She wore a black cloak and dress with a red lightsaber. "Don't be afraid of who you are," she said to Rey.

The two fought in the confined space of the Emperor's quarters. The fight only lasted a moment with Rey stumbling out of the room where she met me once again. I took hold of the Sith Holocron. "Look at you. You wanted to prove to my mother you were a Jedi, but you have proven something else. You can't go back to her now. Just as I can't," I said alluding to her killing Chewbacca.

"Give it to me," she ordered me.

"The Dark Side is a tool. Do not surrender to it," I lectured her.

"Give it...to me," she said angrily.

"The only way you're getting to Skywalker is with me," I told her and threw the Holocron down the shaft.

"No!" she shrieked and then tried to kill me with her lightsaber.

I carefully evaded her strikes unarmed and then finally ignited my own lightsaber to defend myself. I brought her down to the sea and fought with her on a piece of wreckage as the waves crashed over it. The two of us used Djem So, repeatedly slamming one another with our blades. She was erratic and overly emotional in her attacks while I was able to remain calm and collected. She retreated away from me to gain an advantage. As soon as I leaped after her, she attacked me. I was able to keep her at bay despite her ferocity. She then leaped away hoping I would repeat the same mistake. Instead, I walked through the waves as I advanced on her. With her back to the edge, she had nowhere else to go.

This time, we used the Force to assist us in our duel. She blocked my blade with the Force and I did the same to her. As the duel went on, she began to tire and get more frustrated. I continuously slammed her blade bringing her to her knees. I had defeated her without even desiring to kill her. As I was about to swing down on her as she lay on the deck, I stopped myself. The duel in the forest on Star-Killer base had been a fluke after all. She was still not yet herself. She was weak and unrefined, nothing like her former self. However, she did something uncharacteristic of herself. She took advantage of my hesitation and sliced me through the gut with her own lightsaber.

I fell to the deck defeated and at her mercy. She had punctured and collapsed my right lung. Soon, I would have trouble breathing and bleed out. Rey came by myself and seemed remorseful as she regained her senses. She placed her hand on my wound and healing it. I could now breathe as before. "I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

"So am I," I replied. "Go find Skywalker and discover your true self."

She nodded and took off leaving me there on the deck. She found the Sith Holocron and took my Tie fighter to go find Skywalker alone. As I reflected on what had happened, I saw a memory of my father, Han Solo. "I miss you, son," he said.

"Your son is dead. I've killed so many and done so many horrible things and yet I have failed to destroy Snoke," I said to him.

"It's not over until it's over," he said to me. "Even now, my son is alive."

"You're just a memory," I said dismissively.

"Your memory," he reminded me.

"I know what I have to do but I don't know if I have the strength to do it," I admitted.

"You do," he told me.

* * *

**Rey's POV**

With the Sith Holocron, I was able to complete the star map and found a planet with vast oceans and the island I had seen in my dreams. I came upon the planet, Ahch-To. I went to the island and landed on the beach. There, I surveyed the island looking for any sign of Skywalker. I saw a glowing hooded figure on a tall hill overlooking the ocean. He turned around to see me and I knew it was him.

"Why have you come here?" Luke Skywalker's Force Ghost asked of me.

"To find my place in all this. To know who I am," I told him.

"You're afraid that you're a Palpatine," he sensed.

"I fear it's much worse than that," I replied.

"You were the First Order's prized possession after the war. You learned the ways of the Force by collecting the Emperor's Holocrons. You were neither a Jedi nor a Sith. You were the one that lured Ben Solo away from me," Luke revealed.

"I'm sorry," I said befuddled.

"I should have seen it. What you two had was beyond anything I could stop. You were a Dyad in the Force and...you loved each other," Luke smiled sadly.

"I feel torn," I admitted.

"How so?" he asked.

"A part of me wants to return to who I was, so I can fix all of this. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe, I should join him against Snoke," I said confused with myself.

"But the other part?" Luke asked knowingly.

"I don't know," I shook my head.

"Rey, you have the opportunity few are given to start new and fresh. Leave the past behind if you so choose. You are not beholden to what you once were," Luke said to me.

"If I don't bring myself back, my friends will die. I've already lost so much," I told him.

Luke nodded. "I now understand what Ben is trying to do. I'm sorry I couldn't have been with him on his journey. My spirit has been confined to this island in case someone like yourself would visit me. Only someone strong in the Force can see and hear me."

"Can I defeat Snoke as I am?" I asked bluntly.

"No," Luke shook his head.

"Tell me what I must do," I said finally.

* * *

On the shore of the island, I found a hole in the ground large enough to drop through. It was covered in dark vegetation that had been poisoned by the Dark Side of the Force. I jumped inside the hole and found myself in a pool of water. I made my way to shore and found myself staring at a mirror of glass. At first, I saw nothing but darkness but then a hooded figure wearing a mask appeared before me.

"Look how weak you have become," the masked figure chided me.

"Who are we?" I asked her.

"We are Ren Palpatine of the Knights of Ren, the granddaughter of the Emperor and heir to the First Order," she said.

"Are we good or evil?" I asked her.

She took off her Mandalorian mask to show that her face was identical to mine. "There is virtue in order and corruption in freedom. I allowed worlds to decide on their own to join us or not. The galaxy must be given a choice between the First Order and the New Republic. The First Order is not for every world, but it must remain a choice."

"Snoke is conquering the galaxy," I told her.

"Surrender to me and I will kill Snoke," she said to me. "Isn't that worth your life?"

"What if you're even worse than Snoke?" I asked her.

"Have faith in yourself," she said simply.

I nodded and then consented. I appeared on the other side of the glass while Ren emerged in reality. Ren then eyed me from across the glass. "I remember...everything," she said. With that, we became one and whole.


	4. The Last Jedi

**Kylo Ren's POV**

The New Republic base on Yavin IV was discovered soon enough. In the battle, X-wing pilot, Poe Dameron, singlehandedly knocked out the turbo laser cannons on a First Order dreadnaught. A squadron of X-wings and Y-wings then focused entirely on the dreadnaught disabling it and ultimately destroying it as it fell into the moon's atmosphere. The New Republic base, however, had been destroyed and forced to evacuate. General Leia Organa escaped into hyperspace with two additional corvettes and what remained of her fighter squadron.

As soon as the New Republic fleet exited hyperspace, the Supremacy and its escort were already on them with the ability to track them through hyperspace. I rushed to enter my ship before the _Supremacy_ annihilated the New Republic fleet before I could enter the battle. I was joined by two other Tie fighters to defend my flanks. I immediately fired upon their communications antenna causing an explosion on the top of the ship. I then went towards the hangar bay and fired two missiles causing an explosion that destroyed their fighters before they could even launch. Leia's cruiser increased impulse power and focused their shields to the rear as the _Supremacy_ continued to fire on them. With the shields lowered in the bow, I went for a swing at the bridge.

As I approached, I sensed my mother's presence on the bridge. At first, I hesitated to fire but then launched missiles straight at the bridge. It was a direct hit as the bridge was torn open. My mother and the entire bridge crew were sucked out into space. General Leia Organa, my mother, was gone. I then returned to the _Supremacy_.

As soon as the cruiser personnel was able to utilize a secondary bridge, New Republic ships went into hyperspace once more. The First Order fleet followed closely behind.

* * *

**Rey's POV**

I walked away from the cave and found Luke's Force Ghost in the temple. "Leia is gone. I felt it," I told him.

"So did I," he said grieved. "But what she fought for, what she stood for still remains."

"I owe you an apology, Master Skywalker," I said sincerely.

"For what?" he asked curiously.

"I failed to anticipate Snoke at the Battle of Jakku. My failure has led to all this misery," I admitted.

"Snoke could not be trusted. Even if I had disbanded the Jedi, he would still have tried to kill you. He is a conquerer just like his apprentice, Darth Sidious," Luke said disdainfully.

"You have helped me bring back my memories. I will preserve the teachings of the Jedi," I promised him. "But I do not know the way to find Snoke."

"I will help you find him," Luke offered.

* * *

**Kylo Ren's POV**

The New Republic fleet exited hyperspace and shut off their engines. They coasted on their momentum as they entered a nebula of hydrogen gas. The First Order emerged right on top of them. The leading Star Destroyer's engines caught fire in the hydrogen causing an explosion that ripped through the entire ship. The ship eventually exploded in a brilliant fireball. Another Star Destroyer fired on the cruiser only to have its bow explode as soon as it lit the hydrogen gas.

"Shut off our engines and ceasefire!" Gen. Hux ordered from the bridge of the _Supremacy_.

The First Order drifted into the nebula as well after the New Republic fleet. A star map hologram appeared in front of Gen. Hux. "Send destroyers to these coordinates just outside the nebula. When we both exit the nebula, they won't escape us," Gen. Hux ordered the _Supremacy_ admiral.

Star Destroyers not yet in the nebula went to hyperspace around the nebula and emerged on the other side waiting for the New Republic ships to emerge. "We have them surrounded. We can wait them out," Gen. Hux said confidently.

* * *

As the New Republic fleet was about to exit the nebula, Snoke summoned me to his throne room. He smiled gleefully at me pleased that Leia Organa was now gone. "Come closer, my young apprentice. For killing General Leia Organa, you shall be rewarded. You may come ten paces from me," he said.

I went forward counting the steps in my head and took a knee before him. "So much strength. How did it feel to kill your own mother?" he asked.

"I felt nothing," I replied.

He eyed me curiously unable to see my expression through my mask. "We must always remain vigilant. Where there is darkness, there will always be light to meet it. In time, we will have a new challenger to our rule."

"Yes, my master," I replied.

"My worthy apprentice, son of darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader, where there was conflict, I now see resolve. Where there was weakness, strength. I will complete your training and fulfill your destiny," Snoke said enthusiastically.

"As you wish, my master," I replied.

Snoke eyed my submissive tone and the fact that I was blocking his mind suspiciously. "Take off that ridiculous mask," he ordered me.

I slowly took off my mask revealing myself as Rey. Snoke gave a look of surprise as I ignited Ben's lightsaber and threw it at him. At ten paces, he couldn't react in time nor would I let him try as I disrupted his concentration. The blade spun towards Snoke and sliced him in half at the waist and through his chair. The upper half of Snoke's body fell to the floor in a heap.

The Royal Guard was on me in a flash. I raised my right hand in the air and created a lightning storm that hit them all at once. Before they could recover, I summoned Ben's lightsaber back to me. I backed away towards the exit, so I could fight them linearly. With fanatic devotion, they came towards me. I quickly cut them down with my lightsaber as they approached one-by-one on a narrow bridge. I cut off heads and limbs in quick succession. I used the Force to pull one of them towards me and then sliced him in half at the waist. For another, I used the Force to push them away. As I blocked another, I used my other hand to slowly crush the Royal Guard inside his armor killing him. Another guard was thrown into a terminal shaft exploding as he did. I finally sliced the last one in half from head to waist.

With the Royal Guard defeated, I verified that the monster that was Darth Plagueis and Snoke was now dead. I used the Force to move away his lower half and sat comfortably on his throne. Master Skywalker had taught me the technique to transfer material through the Force over galactic distances. At first, Ben was only able to feel water on his glove. After considerable practice and risk, I was able to completely switch places with him. Ben was now on the island with Luke.

* * *

**Ben's POV**

I came to see Uncle Luke on the island after the exchange had taken place. I had no idea whether she succeeded or not. I just had to hope she did. I saw Luke glowing as a Force Ghost. "Did she succeed?" I asked him.

"She did," he replied vaguely.

"Then, it's over," I said taking my lightsaber to end my life.

"No," Luke shook his head.

"I've killed my family, my friends, and countless others. If I made myself see the face of everyone I have murdered, it would last a lifetime. I've completed what I set out to do. Now, I must pay for my crimes," I told him.

"Tell me, will the galaxy be better off with you dead or exiled?" he asked me. "Rey needs you as you need her. Together, you can bring peace and balance to the galaxy."

"How can I ever forgive myself?" I asked him.

"My father was Darth Vader, but I sensed the good in him. He redeemed himself at the very end with his sacrifice. If he can be redeemed, anyone can," Luke said seriously.

"Is it too late to ask for your forgiveness?" I asked tearfully.

"Never," Luke shook his head. "Ben, I forgive you now and forever."

* * *

**Rey's POV**

I summoned the First Order officers that used to serve under me before Snoke. They included Gen. Pryde, Gen. Hux, and the like. I entered the room wearing Ben's mask to hide my identity. "What is the status of the New Republic fleet?" I asked.

"They should be exiting the nebula soon. When they do, we will destroy them," Gen. Hux said confidently.

"What is to stop them from going into hyperspace once more and sending us into a black hole the next time?" Gen. Pryde asked.

"I suggest we send in one destroyer after them before the rest of the fleet. It will reduce our losses if it's a trap," Gen. Engall said.

"Why are we putting so much attention on one cruiser?" I asked rhetorically.

"It's Supreme Leader Snoke's orders," Gen. Hux reminded me.

"You're so right," I agreed and then ignited my lightsaber. I threw one officer to the ceiling and cut him half at the waist. I slammed another one against the wall killing him instantly. The rest I took pleasure in slicing and slashing with my lightsaber until only Gen. Hux remained, shaking on the floor in fear. I took off my helmet revealing who I was to him.

"Ren? Believe me, we searched for you. We never gave up on you," he lied.

"I know you did," I replied sarcastically and then zapped him with Force lightning. He shook uncontrollably and began to burn. I continued to shock him as he screamed out in pain. Eventually, he was burned beyond recognition.

* * *

**Ben's POV**

Luke brought me over to a room and pointed to a table of ancient Jedi texts. "They're yours now," he said. I carefully opened the books seeing ancient writing. "There's something your mother would like you to have," Luke said pointing to the wall.

I removed a stone and saw a lightsaber. "On the last night of her training. Your mother told me she sensed your death at the end of her Jedi path. She surrendered her saber to me so that someday someone would pick it up again. A thousand generations of Jedi live in you now. This is now your fight. You'll learn to use both sabers at the same time," Luke said to her.

"Was my mother's vision a lie?" I asked.

"Always in motion, the future is," Luke replied. "You were dead but now you are alive."

"I don't know if I can," I admitted.

"You have everything you need," Luke assured me.

* * *

**Rey's POV**

After slaughtering the murderous officers that had betrayed me, I went to the bridge and found Captain Yago. He was a good officer and someone I knew I could work with. The bridge crew gave me an odd look as I was no longer wearing the mask. When Captain Yago saw my face, he was stricken as if he had seen a ghost. "Empress," he stuttered.

"Snoke is dead and so is the rest of the chain-of-command. I am taking over this ship, the fleet, and the First Order. Is that understood?" I asked him.

"Perfectly," he said immediately.

The New Republic ships exited the nebula and went to impulse power. The Supremacy and escort destroyers followed them and also gave chase on impulse power. Two of the three New Republic ships did not activate their engines and fell behind. They were quickly destroyed by the escort destroyers. "There is only one life reading on the cruiser," Captain Yago said surprised.

"They must have escaped on cloaked transport ships and floated adrift in the nebula with us going past them," I figured.

"What do you wish to do, Empress?" Captain Yago asked.

"Disable their engines and prepare a boarding party," I ordered.

The _Supremacy_ fired on the cruiser enough times to disable their shields and engines. _T_ he cruiser then docked with the _Supremacy's_ massive docking bay _._ With a company of Stormtroopers, I headed to the bridge. As it was locked, I forced it open. She pointed a blaster at me as I came in and fired off a few shots. I kept the shots suspended in the air and then forced the blaster pistol out of her hands into mine.

"Rank and name?" I asked her.

"Vice-admiral Holdo," she replied.

"Sending us into that nebula where our weapons, engines, and scanners would be disabled was quite genius on your part. Where are your transport ships headed?" I asked.

"Go to hell," she replied.

"Loyalty and courage as well," I approved. "I'll have you know that Snoke is dead. I am now the Empress of the First Order. The war is over. You will be taken to Coruscant along with any transport ships we happen to find."

"The galaxy will never forgive what the First Order has done," Vice-Adm. Holdo spat as she was taken away.

* * *

**Rey's POV**

On the salt flats of Crait, the First Order arrived in full force with walkers, a laser cannon, and a hovering shuttle. The New Republic resistance fighters were held up in the large bunker. I ordered the shuttle down to the ground and then stepped out onto the salt flats. This time, I was dressed in black robes with Kylo's lightsaber on my belt. Commander Poe Dameron came out to meet with me.

"Looks like you got yourself a promotion," he said dryly.

"And a demotion for you," I replied back with a smirk.

"So, your memories are back," Poe assumed.

"All of them including the ones we shared," I assured him. "Snoke is dead and the First Order belongs to me now. As far as I am concerned, the war is over. You are free to go back home whenever you wish."

"So long as the First Order exists, the war will never be over," Poe said to me.

"All who became part of the First Order will join willingly," I told him.

"I don't buy it," he shook his head. "There will always be people that will resist you and their own government."

"In that case, I will see you on the battlefield, commander. But it will not be here," I replied. "You were a good friend to me, Poe. I will always be grateful," I said sincerely.

"You've always been full of surprises, Rey," he said and then turned away from me.

* * *

In the throne room of the _Supremacy_ , a new squad of knights was before me. "What is thy bidding, Empress?" Ben asked of me.

"Find others of my kind, offspring of the Emperor, and bring them to me," I ordered.

"As you wish," Ben replied and then headed out with his knights for new adventures. Once they were gone, I rotated my chair to the back of the room. Instead of a red curtain, there was now a large window allowing me to see the stars and beyond.


End file.
